Southwest Airlines

North Lawndale Employment Network is proud to present Southwest Airlines as a featured funder of our work. Southwest Airlines has generously supported NLEN since 2010 and connected NLEN to more than $10,000 in General Operating funding and more than $140,000 in In-Kind support through their generous donation of Southwest “Green Passes”. These domestic and international passes have greatly increased our ability to fulfill the mission by giving staff the means to travel around the globe to attend professional development and capacity-building opportunities.

Patty Greene: 2017 Voice of the Voiceless Award Winner

In honor of our partnership, NLEN presented its 2017 Voice of the Voiceless Award to Southwest Airlines Manager, Community Affairs & Grassroots, Patty Greene. The Voice of the Voiceless Award honors those who provide a “voice” for the marginalized. Awardees come from all walks of life, including the worlds of politics, business, professional sports, academia, and others where their work paves the way for lasting change.

In her role at Southwest Airlines, Patty establishes and nurtures relationships with key nonprofit organizations that work to improve the lives of those residing in the communities Southwest serves including Chicago, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Minneapolis, Portland, Maine and San Juan, Puerto Rico. With her honesty, generous heart, and compassion for the men and women we serve, Patty has worked since 2010 to improve the lives of North Lawndale residents by helping to build the capacity of the North Lawndale Employment Network. Through her service as chair of the Sweet Beginnings Tea Committee and her excellent counsel, Patty ensures NLEN builds mutually beneficial corporate partnerships.

Patty Greene loves her job. A 36-year veteran at Southwest Airlines (SWA), Patty began her career at SWA’s corporate offices in Dallas and moved back home to Chicago in 1985 when Southwest began service at Midway Airport. She has spent the last nine years on SWA’s Community Affairs & Grassroots team, working with nonprofit organizations to improve the lives of those residing in the communities Southwest serves.

It’s a position for which she is well-suited. “My father used to tell me ‘It’s not a crime to be poor,'” says Patty. “I like to work with organizations that help to life people out of poverty. I get to interact with amazing people who do incredible work in the community and I get to meet people whose lives have been made better.”

“At Southwest Airlines, we believe in supporting the causes that matter most to the communities we serve. NLEN is a great example of an organization that provides job training and economic opportunities.” Patty says. “I love the U-Turn Permitted program. Everyone deserves a second chance, the opportunity to turn their lives around. How do we expect people to not go back into the criminal justice system without an opportunity to find work?”

Patty is also a fan of Sweet Beginnings, LLC, saying “You can open my kitchen cabinet and there are always three or four jars of beeloveTM honey – it’s a staple in my house.”